


A Reputation to Uphold

by brilligspoons



Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Adventures: Avengers
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexuality, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-24
Updated: 2011-06-24
Packaged: 2017-10-20 17:05:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilligspoons/pseuds/brilligspoons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony at age six does not quite comprehend what his father means when Howard explains “image” and “reputation” as they relate to the Stark name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Reputation to Uphold

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Queer Fest over on LJ. Original prompt: "Tony Stark. It is hard to come out as an asexual when people assume so many things about your sexual history."

Tony at age six does not quite comprehend what his father means when Howard explains “image” and “reputation” as they relate to the Stark name. It’s still a mystery to him up until age fourteen when he goes off to MIT and is immediately inducted into the elite social groups that populate the school. Most students are far too busy with their degrees and projects to truly care about socializing much, but they all recognize in one way or another the importance of Tony’s name and connections. A single word from him, and they can be made or ruined.

Three months into his first year there, a girl from his applied physics tutorial takes it upon herself to rid him of his virginity. It’s...strange, he supposes. Sex was all the boys at his last boarding school could talk about, and Tony is a little surprised to find himself underwhelmed by the act. But he thinks that, maybe, it was just the awkwardness of it being his first time.

So Tony tries again, and again, and again. He systematically sleeps with every girl in all of his classes that first year and, once he’s accepted the idea that maybe his lack of enthusiasm for the female sex can be blamed on not being entirely straight, most of the men as well. He realizes that the act of sex has become perfunctory and meaningless sometime before his sixteenth birthday, that it is the means of maintaining the illusion that he can be as _normal_ as anyone else. It leaves him cold, if he’s honest, and with every affair he conducts, he becomes more and more disgusted with himself.

By the time Tony graduates from MIT, he has done two things not related at all to his degree: created the persona of Tony Stark Playboy Billionaire, and stopped having sex entirely.

-

The worst part is that Steve won't stop laughing about it.

They’re having dinner together, a rare quiet night in and away from the chaos of their lives as Avengers. Tony likes to think that Steve is the one person in his life with whom he can be completely honest. _Maybe,_ he finds himself thinking during their conversation, _it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Just this once. It_ is _Steve, after all. He’ll at least listen._

Tony hates being wrong.

"I wasn't actually joking," Tony says. He's not smiling - in fact, he's struggling to keep his fists at his side. Tony tries to recall any point in their conversation that might have implied that this is all a big _joke_. He knows it wouldn't do to be seen punching Captain America in his stupid, laughing face. "Steve. Will you please stop?"

"Okay, okay," is the reply. "I'll stop. But really, Tony, you need a better lead-up if you're going to use that one at parties. Not everyone will pick up on the humor of Tony Stark saying he's asexual right off the bat."

Tony's fingernails cut into his palms. He doesn't bother saying anything more, just turns about-face on his heel and walks away. He hears Steve call to him, placating tone and all, but the angry buzzing in his ears blocks the majority of it out. He feels his blood boiling, heat and rage rushing all throughout. He thinks, of all the people in his life, Steve would have at least _not laughed_.

-

It's not that he didn't expect some level of skepticism. He did. Tony Stark is fully aware of who and what Tony Stark is perceived to be, perhaps more so than people think he is. This often backfires on him, the knowledge of himself - Tony is so concerned with maintaining this persona that there is little opportunity for him to step back and consider who might get hurt in the endeavor.

In this case, though, Tony has considered all (most) of the angles and can safely say that he really only has himself to damage.

Which is also something he expected. He just didn't think it would hurt _quite_ this much.

-

Tony ignores Steve for a whole week before circumstance brings them together again. He’s had some time to burn off some of the rage, and he _thinks_ he’ll be able to handle their inevitable followup discussion better.

They don't have time to hash it out, of course - HYDRA agents are all over the U.N. building, the representatives of the world are trapped inside, and there's a bomb (or multiple bombs, Tony isn't sure yet) set to go off within the hour. Drawing data from previous encounters with HYDRA, Tony is relatively certain the Avengers can wrap this up in time for his 1 PM lunch meeting.

He's right. Well, sort of.

He and Cap end up fighting their way through to the room where the bomb is being kept ("Just the one?" Cap asks suspiciously. "Maybe," Tony evades, "probably.") while the rest of the Avengers round up the agents. Tony stares at the device - it's much more complex than HYDRA's usual fare.

"So they're working with someone this time?" Steve asks.

"No," Tony replies. "Much more likely they were given this and told to go wild." Sure enough, HAMMER INDUSTRIES is stamped on the inside of the control panel cover. "Right. Like there was no way this would ever get recovered, even from the rubble."

"That's great, Iron Man," Cap says. "Now could you disarm it? Soon?"

It almost isn't worth Tony's thought. The appropriate wires give easily with a simple pull, the countdown stops, and Cap breathes a sigh of relief into the room. Tony crouches down and peers into the system.

"What are you looking for?"

"A secondary system," Tony says. "Sometimes Hammer surprises me. I think we're clear. Have the others checked in yet?"

"Hawkeye made the all-clear." Cap is staring intently at him. Tony supposes they have time now, though Steve really needs to reconsider where he has his heart-to-hearts.

"If you're about to bring up the other night," Tony starts, "you know, when I told you I'm asexual, and you laughed, and I walked out and didn't speak to you for a week? You can probably stop right now since I have a pretty good idea of where our conversation will go."

"Tony," Steve says. "Tony. You're - you're serious?" He's not actually asking a question there, Tony notes. He just wants confirmation.

"I thought the part where I didn't laugh along with you was telling," he replies.

"I - how?"

" _How_?"

"Explain this to me," Steve demands. "I think you can understand why I'm a little confused."

Tony snorts. "Yes, the hordes of women in my past."

"Tony."

"What do you want me to say, Steve? It _is_ possible to have sex with people you're not actually attracted to. For me 'people you're not actually attracted to' equals 'everyone'."

Steve rubs a hand over his face. "Okay," he says. "Okay."

It's fairly obvious that he needs time to process this. Tony figures this is a step up from being laughed at, so he shrugs as he stands and heads for the door. They’ll let Fury deal with the details of transporting this thing somewhere safer. "The rest of the team is probably wondering what we're getting up to in here," he says, "and I am officially late for my meeting. Thanks for that - Pepper is never letting me leave my office again."

"Usually she's the one making you leave," Steve mutters just loud enough for Tony to hear. Tony smiles beneath his armor. "Listen, Tony -"

"Don't worry about it, Steve," Tony says. "As long as you're not disgusted with me, or _laughing_ at me -"

Steve punches him in the arm, making Tony stagger to the side a bit. "Idiot," Steve says. "Why would I be disgusted with you over this? Sometimes I'm not sure those fancy schools of yours should've given you your degrees."

"Hey, I'll have you know that I am a _genius_."

"Of course you are," Steve soothes as they walk through the corridors to where SHIELD is processing sixty or so agents. "Now, are you going to point me in the direction of some reading material?"

"What?"

Steve throws him an irritated look. "I want to know, Tony," he says. "You're my best friend, and I want to know everything about everything that makes you _you_. Problem?"

Tony doesn't get the chance to respond. Within moments of them reappearing on the scene, Fury is demanding a full report and directions to where the disarmed bomb is. Cap wanders off to check on the Avengers while he argues with Nick, and by the time Tony gets back to his office, he has thirteen messages from Pepper explaining (in excruciating detail) how very much in trouble he is with her.

Tony deletes them all, shoots her a quick email saying "hi, back, love you too! ;D," and spends the rest of his afternoon compiling a list of articles and books for Steve to peruse.  



End file.
